Did you watch the show together?
If so, Bryan, what was it like to watch
Rachel go on dates with other men?
BRYAN We watched a lot of it together,
but as far as the other relationships,
I watched those by myself, and then
we called each other to discuss
everything. I actually called it therapy.
We just put everything out on the
table, and I think it helped us. She was
always up-front with her answers.
RACHEL I didn’t shy away from
anything. I was sensitive in how hard
it must be for him to watch me go
through other relationships.
Rachel, do you feel like you fell in love
with anyone else besides Bryan?
RACHEL No. I had feelings of love
for the last four guys. But with Bryan
it was completely different. I never
told any of the other men that I was
in love with them; that was important
to me. I felt love for [the others], but
I wasn’tin love with them.
BRYANThere’s a big difference.
As the first African-American
Bachelorette, did you feel added
pressure to choose a black man?
RACHEL I knew I’d feel pressure from
certain audiences, but I wasn’t going
to pick somebody because they looked
a certain way. Not everyone was going
to be happy about my decisions, but
I needed to be selfish on this journey.
I was trying to find my person, the per-
son who I want to spend the rest of my
life with, and I ca e
that. That doesn.In the finale, before the final rose
ceremony, Peter wasn’t ready to
propose but wanted to continue your
relationship. How did that sit with you?
RACHEL When I walked into Peter’s
hotel room at the very end, I knew
I was going to send him home. At
that point I knew it was Bryan. With
Peter I constantly got this push and
this pull. What I hate is that it seems
like the reason that Peter wasn’t the
one for me is due to [his reluctance
to propose], but there were other
deep-rooted issues in our relationship.
Such as?
RACHEL There’s no denying I cared
about Peter, but he triggered emo-
tions in me from my previous rela-
tionship—someone who says they’re
all these things but doesn’t want to
commit. [My ex] didn’t know what he
wanted, where he was going to go, and
he wasn’t secure in himself. And that
was [like] Peter. It wasn’t the propos-
al; it’s just he’s not the type of man I
want. That’s why I knew he wasn’t the
person for me. But it was still hard at
the end to say goodbye.
Was Bryan always your first choice?
RACHEL He was, but I was scared of
him. If I had a list of what I wanted in
a guy, he would check off every single
thing. I run away from the guy who is
every single thing that I want, because
I think that I don’t deserve it. But for
the first time I stopped running away,
as like, “Why can’t you have
y u want?” That was Bryan.F first date, Peter Kraus knew there was something
p chel Lindsay. “The connection that we instantly
ng I’d never experienced before,” the Wisconsin
, , People. “The conversation never stopped, the laughs
w But by the end Kraus was left sobbing once he
m o Lindsay he couldn’t propose yet. Kraus says he
e d his doubts to Lindsay, saying he needed a little
m time, but his affection was genuine. “I was in love
w Rachel,” he admits. “I saw a future with her. I just
n ded to be certain.” Though Kraus hadn’t spoken to
L dsay till their somewhat tense reunion on Monday
n ght’s episode—and says he was “terrified” to do so—
h has nothing but well-wishes for the couple: “I have
n hard feelings or ill will toward her or Bryan.”‘I Was
Absolu ly
in Love
with H ’
Peter Speaks O tWatchPeople
Cover Story—
Bachelorette Finale:
Rachel Lindsay,
available now
on thePeople/
Entertainment
Weekly Network
(PEN).Go to
people.com/PEN,
or download the
PEN app on your
favorite mobile or
connected TV device.‘If you
ask me
what first
caught my
attention
about
Bryan...
it was his
confidence.
It was sexy.
It still is’
—RACHEL
LINDSAY
to spend the rest of my
an’t let color dictate
n’t define love.the first t
and I wa
what youFrom their very f
special about Rac
had was somethi
native, 31, tellsPe
were constant.”B
made it clear to
expressed
more
with
need
Lind
nigh
he h
nohOut58 CRAIG SJODIN/ABC